Marking its 75th anniversary at a summit in Washington DC this week, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) focused on Ukraine while emphasizing the importance of new technologies and start-ups to adapt to modern security threats.
In its Washington Summit Declaration, NATO highlighted its accelerated transformation to address current and future threats while maintaining a technological edge. This includes experimenting with and rapidly adopting emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and quantum computing.
Phil Lockwood, Head of NATO’s Innovation Unit, told Euronews Next, "We've long recognized that our ability to deter and defend relies on our technological edge. Although we're experiencing unprecedented technological innovation, our edge is potentially eroding. We must work hard to maintain this edge as adversaries and competitors pursue their own technological advancements."
One technology NATO is exploring is seabed mapping, with the Dutch start-up Lobster Robotics as a key partner. "If they had survey equipment, they could have detected the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. While they may not have intervened, at least the threat would have been known," said Stephan Rutten, co-founder and CEO of Lobster Robotics. Lobster Robotics is one of 44 companies selected from 1,300 applicants for NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program, which provides resources and networks to address critical defense and security challenges.
DIANA focuses on dual-use innovations, applicable both commercially and for defense. NATO also supports start-ups through the NATO Innovation Fund. Lobster Robotics' optical seabed mapping technology can significantly reduce costs and increase safety compared to using teams of divers. It is particularly useful for mapping critical underwater infrastructure like wind farms and oil rigs.
Access to government or defense contracts can be lucrative yet challenging for start-ups. "It comes down to networking. You need to know the people and how the organization works," Rutten said, noting that NATO’s approval helped them collaborate with governments. "I urge governments to think in the time scale of start-ups. They say they're moving fast, but procurement takes 18 months. I could start five new companies by then."
The Greece-based company Sortiria Technology, another underwater intelligence firm selected by NATO, also finds the procurement process lengthy. "There are long contraction cycles and varied buying processes in each country," said Angelos Tsereklas, Managing Director of Sortiria Technology. "But initiatives like DIANA and the NATO Innovation Fund, as well as support from the European Union and European Investment Bank, are disrupting that model."
This month, NATO launched a second round of the DIANA project, focusing on energy, human health, information security, logistics, and critical infrastructure. Information security is a top concern, with lessons to be learned from Ukraine's experience with sophisticated cyber attacks from Russia.
In its Washington Summit Declaration, NATO warned of cyber threats from Russia and China, announcing a new cyber alliance called the Integrated Cyber Defence Centre. This center will bring together civilian and military personnel from NATO member countries and industry experts.
One notable start-up is Hushmesh, which aims to create a safer, more efficient internet. While its vision may take decades to realize, CEO Manu Fontaine said, "The natural glide path is to develop services on an inherently secure, verified infrastructure." Hushmesh is currently developing a messaging service for a NATO pilot program in 2025.
The Washington Summit Declaration also stated NATO’s intent to monitor technological advancements on the battlefield in Ukraine through experimentation and rapid adoption of emerging technologies. Rutten noted that while government procurement remains challenging, change is underway. "Many countries are becoming more agile and open to innovation faster, inspired by the successes seen in Ukraine. However, it may take a few more years to fully implement these changes."
